Exegesis and Eisegesis

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                        Acts 1:20

Exegesis and Eisegesis

by Robert T. Cooper

Exegesis: good! Eisegesis: bad! Say, what?

Acts 1:20 NIV

²⁰“For,” said Peter, “it is written in the book of Psalms,

“‘May his place of be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in it,’

and,

“‘May another take his place of leadership.’

Acts 1:20 NIV 

In the creation of the event that became part of Holy Scripture, and in the recording of that Scripture, the Holy Spirit inspired people to say and to write in ways that are not permissible to us as mere mortals. This verse gives a great example.

Judas had committed suicide. During the days between the Ascension and Pentecost, the Holy Spirit led the Apostles to understand that Judas needed to be replaced as an Apostle. Peter gave voice to that understanding.

In giving voice to that understanding, Peter cited two verses from the Psalms. However, what Peter did with those two verses was something we must not do. Neither of the verses primarily mean what Peter said they meant. It was only under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that Peter could understand and say that God fully intended a second meaning, the meaning that Judas’ position as an Apostle should be filled with a replacement.

The first verse Peter used was from Psalm 69:25. This Psalm had some Messianic implications in verses 4 and 9. Even verse 21 says “They put gall in my food/and gave me vinegar for my thirst,” something that causes the Christian believer to immediately think of Christ’s crucifixion. But as David continues the psalm, he is praying about his feelings regarding his enemies, plural. He prays for them to have physical and spiritual consequences to their violent opposition to David.

In fact, in the original, Psalm 69:25 uses plural pronouns, not the singular pronouns Peter uses. It is only because the first part of the verse talks about their place being deserted that the Spirit causes Peter to see a reference to the apostolic vacancy caused by Judas’ demise.

The second verse Peter used was from Psalm 109:8. David is again praying for divine retribution against his enemy, singular this time. David prays for this enemy to have an evil man to oppose the enemy. David prays for his enemy to be put on trial and found guilty. Verse 8 begins, “May his days be few,” something that was certainly true of Judas. The latter part of the verse refers to another person taking this enemy’s place of leadership. Now David obviously had a particular enemy in mind when he wrote this Psalm and certainly not Judas. However, the Spirit again causes Peter to see a reference to the need to fill the apostolic vacancy caused by Judas’ death.

Now, we are all curious about biblical prophecy and the application of Scripture to events today. However, one has to wonder at those who find in the Bible a prophecy about every minute news event that occurs. It is quite probable that those people are reading things into Scripture, that they are eisegeting. Remember, eisegesis: bad!

It is never correct to read something into Scripture.

[Before I quit, let me ask you, humble readers, to carefully consider what I write in this blog. If I should ever read into Scripture something that isn’t there, please send me a private e-mail to admonish me and help me see that I have done so. That’s the Berean thing to do.]

Have you ever known of a situation in which someone read something into Scripture that isn’t there? Have you ever done so? I look forward to your comments.